Image processing with preferential vectorization of character and graphic regions

Abstract

Image processing by which both of high compressibility and high image quality are achieved, and in which characters in character regions and graphics in graphic regions are vectorized. If a pixel of a character in a character region overlaps with a graphic in a graphic region, graphic region vectorization is performed first, whereas if a pixel of a character in the character region does not overlap with a graphic in the graphic region, character region vectorization is performed first.

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
 a region analysis unit that analyzes region of an input image; 
 a character region vectorization unit that vectorizes a character region; 
 a graphic region vectorization unit that vectorizes a graphic region; and 
 a determining unit that determines, on a basis of a result of the region analysis by the region analysis unit, which of processing by the character region vectorization unit and processing by the graphic region vectorization unit is first performed, wherein 
 if the determining unit determines that a pixel of a character in the character region overlaps with a graphic in the graphic region, the determining unit performs control so as to first perform the processing by the graphic region vectorization unit, and if the determining unit determines that the pixel of the character in the character region does not overlap with the graphic in the graphic region, the determining unit performs the control so as to first perform the processing by the character region vectorization unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the graphic region vectorization unit determines whether or not the graphic region can be subjected to vectorization processing, and if the graphic region vectorization unit determines that the graphic region can be subjected to the vectorization processing, the graphic region vectorization unit performs the vectorization processing of the graphic region to generate vector data. 
     
     
       3. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein if the graphic region vectorization unit determines that the graphic region cannot be subjected to the vectorization processing, the graphic region vectorization unit clips out the graphic region as an image. 
     
     
       4. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a character recognition unit that performs character recognition processing for the character region to generate a character code. 
     
     
       5. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an electronic file conversion unit that generates an electronic file including: vector data generated by the character region vectorization unit; and vector data generated by the graphic region vectorization unit. 
     
     
       6. The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the character region vectorization unit generates vector data on a basis of a contour of the character within the character region, and performs filling processing of a portion corresponding to the character. 
     
     
       7. An image processing method that is executed by an image processing apparatus, the method comprising:
 a region analysis step for a region analysis unit to analyze region of an input image; 
 a determining step for a determining unit to determine, on a basis of a result of the region analysis in the region analysis step, which of processing by a character region vectorization unit and processing by a graphic region vectorization unit is first performed; 
 a character region vectorization step for the character region vectorization unit to vectorize a character region; and 
 a graphic region vectorization step for the graphic region vectorization unit to vectorize a graphic region, wherein 
 in the determining step, if it is determined that a pixel of a character in the character region overlaps with a graphic in the graphic region, control is performed so as to first perform the processing by the graphic region vectorization unit, and if it is determined that the pixel of the character in the character region does not overlap with the graphic in the graphic region, the control is performed so as to first perform the processing by the character region vectorization unit. 
 
     
     
       8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores a program for instructing a computer to function as:
 a region analysis unit that analyzes region of an input image; 
 a character region vectorization unit that vectorizes a character region; 
 a graphic region vectorization unit that vectorizes a graphic region; and 
 a determining unit that determines, on a basis of a result of the region analysis by the region analysis unit, which of processing by the character region vectorization unit and processing by the graphic region vectorization unit is first performed, wherein 
 if the determining unit determines that a pixel of a character in the character region overlaps with a graphic in the graphic region, the determining unit performs control so as to first perform the processing by the graphic region vectorization unit, and if the determining unit determines that the pixel of the character in the character region does not overlap with the graphic in the graphic region, the determining unit performs the control so as to first perform the processing by the character region vectorization unit.